Miss out on Giving Day? You can still make a gift here!

Academic Excellence (ACE) Program

We are the ACE Program! Help us continue making educational equity and success a reality at UCSC.

The Academic Excellence (ACE) Program reduces the achievement gap for minoritized students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). ACE increases educational equity through community building, peer-mentorship, and supplemental active learning experiences aligned with academic coursework.

ACE has a 37-year proven track record of enabling student success. Our newest endeavor is to integrate our active, collaborative learning approach into discussion sections of large lecture gateway courses where our talented learning skills advisors will work with TAs to intentionally design engaging, inclusive section activities, allowing even more students to benefit from the ACE experience. Last year, more than 700 unique students participated in ACE. With this novel ACE Integration model, we will reach over 1,500 students! Your gift helps us to build this capacity and improve the effectiveness of our program.

Thank you for your continued dedication and support. Your gift to the ACE program will bring more diversity to the future of STEM. Each donation makes a difference.

Giving Day Projects

All Giving Day Projects

Projects with Matches

The Arts Division

Baskin School of Engineering

The Humanities Division

The Science Division

The Social Sciences Division

Athletics and Recreation

Student Organizations

Campus-wide Programs

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Match

Academic Excellence (ACE)-MATCH

Dr. Mercedes Chapa and an anonymous donor is generously matching all Academic Excellence (ACE) program donations, dollar for dollar, up to $750. The more you are able to donate, the further your donation goes!

$750 MATCHED

Completed

Success!

Best in Show

Congratulations to CENTER FOR AGROECOLOGY: UCSC FARM for their engaging and fun video!

Completed

Leaderboard

Early Riser

The project with the most individual donors between 7 and 8 am will receive $1,000. 2nd place will receive $500. Generously sponsored by an anonymous donor.

Rank	Prize	Department	Donors
1	$1,000	Okinawa Memories Initiative (OMI)	49
2	$500	UCSC Slug Rugby	24
3		Tech4Good Student Programs	23
4		SOL Ultimate Frisbee	12
5		Formula Slug	11
6		Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas de UCSC	10
7		Undergrads Supporting System-Impacted Filmmakers	8
8		UC Santa Cruz NCAA Cross Country and Track & Field	7
9		NCAA Women's Basketball Team	7
10		Pilipino Cultural Celebration	6
11		KZSC Radio	6
12		Alumni Association Scholarship Fund	5
13		Center for Agroecology: UCSC Farm	4
14		UCSC Women’s Water Polo	4
15		UCSC Surf Club	4

Ended

Leaderboard

Mid-day Motivator

The project with the most individual donors between 12 noon and 2 pm will receive $2,500, second place will receive $1,000 and third place will receive $500. Third place generously sponsored by UC Santa Cruz Foundation Trustees Panda Kroll and Janet Buck.

Rank	Prize	Department	Donors
1	$2,500	Formula Slug	155
2	$1,000	STEM Diversity - Plant the Seed for Big Dreamers	146
3	$500	UCSC Slug Rugby	99
4		Undergrads Supporting System-Impacted Filmmakers	64
5		Okinawa Memories Initiative (OMI)	49
6		City on a Hill Press	40
7		Alumni Association Scholarship Fund	38
8		Adventure Rec Student Leadership	33
9		VSA at UCSC	24
10		Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas de UCSC	20
11		KZSC Radio	20
12		SOL Ultimate Frisbee	18
13		Treehouse Childhood Cancer Initiative	15
14		You Can Send Mariachi Eterno on Tour!	14
15		CalTeach Landesman Fund for Math/Science Teachers	13

Ended

Leaderboard

Mad Dash

The project with the most individual donors between 6 and 8 pm will receive $2,500, second place will receive $1,000 and third place will receive $500. Generously sponsored by an anonymous donor.

Rank	Prize	Department	Donors
1	$2,500	Rocket Team at UCSC	213
2	$1,000	STEM Diversity - Plant the Seed for Big Dreamers	203
3	$500	Pilipino Cultural Celebration	97
4		City on a Hill Press	69
5		UCSC Slug Rugby	54
6		Undergrads Supporting System-Impacted Filmmakers	30
7		Kickstart Excellence: UCSC Women's Soccer	19
8		NCAA Women's Basketball Team	19
9		Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas de UCSC	18
10		Formula Slug	17
11		Okinawa Memories Initiative (OMI)	16
12		SlugMUN (Model United Nations)	16
13		Adventure Rec Student Leadership	13
14		iGEM 2023	11
15		UCSC Sailing Club	10

Ended

Leaderboard

Final Frenzy

The project with the most individual donors on Giving Day (12am-12am) will receive $10,000, second place will receive $5,000 and third place will receive $2,000. First place award generously sponsored by the UC Santa Cruz Foundation Board Opportunity Fund.

Rank	Prize	Department	Donors
1	$10,000	STEM Diversity - Plant the Seed for Big Dreamers	462
2	$5,000	UCSC Slug Rugby	405
3	$2,000	Formula Slug	300
4		Rocket Team at UCSC	289
5		Undergrads Supporting System-Impacted Filmmakers	201
6		Okinawa Memories Initiative (OMI)	175
7		Cloud 9 A Cappella	155
8		Autoslug	152
9		Pilipino Cultural Celebration	148
10		NCAA Women's Basketball Team	141
11		SOL Ultimate Frisbee	137
12		Adventure Rec Student Leadership	130
13		City on a Hill Press	120
14		Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas de UCSC	116
15		Alumni Association Scholarship Fund	109

Ended

Leaderboard

Indie 500

The project with the most individual donors giving $500 or more will receive $2,500. 2nd place will receive $1,000.

Rank	Prize	Department	Donors
1	$2,500	UCSC Slug Rugby	16
2	$1,000	Okinawa Memories Initiative (OMI)	15
3		Alumni Association Scholarship Fund	13
4		CalTeach Landesman Fund for Math/Science Teachers	13
5		Academic Excellence (ACE) Program	12
6		STEM Diversity - Plant the Seed for Big Dreamers	11
7		UC Santa Cruz NCAA Cross Country and Track & Field	10
8		Humanities Student Success Fund	9
9		Smith Society Internships and Research Fellowships	9
10		Scholarships for Students of Highest Need	9
11		Treehouse Childhood Cancer Initiative	8
12		Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE)	8
13		Center for Agroecology: UCSC Farm	7
14		Creating Equity in STEAM (CrEST)	7
15		Girls In Engineering	7

Ended

Success!

Social Butterfly

Congratulations to Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas de UCSC on engaging their community and rallying support for their project!

Completed

Leaderboard

Night Owl

The project with the most individual donors between 12 midnight and 1 am will receive $1,000. 2nd place will receive $500. Generously sponsored by an anonymous donor.

Rank	Prize	Department	Donors
1	$1,000	Formula Slug	36
2	$500	Pilipino Cultural Celebration	22
3		Tech4Good Student Programs	17
4		Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas de UCSC	17
5		KZSC Radio	10
6		UCSC Surf Club	8
7		STEM Diversity - Plant the Seed for Big Dreamers	6
8		Baskin Day	5
9		Classics Alive!	3
10		VSA at UCSC	3
11		Undergrads Supporting System-Impacted Filmmakers	3
12		UCSC Slug Rugby	2
13		Rocket Team at UCSC	2
14		UC Santa Cruz NCAA Cross Country and Track & Field	2
15		SOL Ultimate Frisbee	2

Ended

Leaderboard

Morning Mayhem

The project with the most individual donors between 10 and 11 am will receive $1,000. 2nd place will receive $500.

Rank	Prize	Department	Donors
1	$1,000	Cloud 9 A Cappella	62
2	$500	Women's Lacrosse Team	32
3		Autoslug	32
4		UCSC Slug Rugby	22
5		UCSC Fencing Club	22
6		Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas de UCSC	22
7		SOL Ultimate Frisbee	17
8		Undergrads Supporting System-Impacted Filmmakers	13
9		Treehouse Childhood Cancer Initiative	12
10		Slug Security	11
11		KZSC Radio	11
12		Academic Excellence (ACE) Program	10
13		Adventure Rec Student Leadership	9
14		NCAA Women's Basketball Team	9
15		Center for Public Philosophy	8

Ended

Leaderboard

Happy Hour

The project teams with the most donors between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. will take home extra challenge funds! $1,000 for first place and $500 for second place. Generously sponsored by Professor of Theater Arts Patty Gallagher.

Rank	Prize	Department	Donors
1	$1,000	Rocket Team at UCSC	51
2	$500	UCSC Surf Club	34
3		STEM Diversity - Plant the Seed for Big Dreamers	21
4		SOL Ultimate Frisbee	18
5		Undergrads Supporting System-Impacted Filmmakers	16
6		Autoslug	14
7		Center for Agroecology: UCSC Farm	12
8		The Fisheries Opportunity Fund	12
9		UCSC Slug Rugby	12
10		NCAA Women's Basketball Team	10
11		Kickstart Excellence: UCSC Women's Soccer	10
12		iGEM 2023	9
13		Pacific Art and Visual Studies	8
14		Adventure Rec Student Leadership	8
15		Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas de UCSC	7

Ended

Leaderboard

Slug Surprise

The project with the most individual donors between 10 and 11 p.m. will receive $1,500, 2nd place will receive $750 and 3rd will receive $500. Generously sponsored by an anonymous donor.

Rank	Prize	Department	Donors
1	$1,500	Formula Slug	47
2	$750	STEM Diversity - Plant the Seed for Big Dreamers	42
3	$500	UCSC Slug Rugby	32
4		Rocket Team at UCSC	32
5		UCSC Fencing Club	23
6		VSA at UCSC	17
7		NCAA Women's Basketball Team	16
8		Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas de UCSC	11
9		Okinawa Memories Initiative (OMI)	8
10		Undergrads Supporting System-Impacted Filmmakers	8
11		Autoslug	8
12		Pilipino Cultural Celebration	7
13		SlugMUN (Model United Nations)	7
14		CalTeach Landesman Fund for Math/Science Teachers	5
15		Cloud 9 A Cappella	5

Ended

Leaderboard

Indie 100

The project with the most individual donors giving $100 or more will receive $1,000. Second place will receive $500. Generously sponsored by an anonymous donor.

Rank	Prize	Department	Donors
1	$1,000	UCSC Slug Rugby	129
2	$500	STEM Diversity - Plant the Seed for Big Dreamers	65
3		Alumni Association Scholarship Fund	62
4		UC Santa Cruz NCAA Cross Country and Track & Field	47
5		Okinawa Memories Initiative (OMI)	43
6		Center for Agroecology: UCSC Farm	41
7		Smith Society Internships and Research Fellowships	40
8		Academic Excellence (ACE) Program	38
9		SOL Ultimate Frisbee	38
10		NCAA Women's Basketball Team	37
11		Formula Slug	36
12		Kickstart Excellence: UCSC Women's Soccer	34
13		Scholarships for Students of Highest Need	34
14		Adventure Rec Student Leadership	32
15		KZSC Radio	32

Ended

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